Attention arrester



2 shepts-shfeet 1 J. H. NORTHROP ATTEmfIoN ARRESTER Filed April 12. 1923Rl--" ing..

? L Qok Med Rail

Cross Dangerous Mayv 17, `1927.

Ma a l y J. H. NoRTHRoP 1628903 ATTENTION ARRESTER Filed April 12. 19232 sheets-sheet 2 'll-; il@ s And@ Ja zzz es Il. )Yorz rop.

Patented May 17,1927.

y vNITE-Dl STATES JAMES H. NoR'rHRor, or SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

ATTENTION ARRESTER.

Application -led April l2, 1923. -Serial No. 631,570.

An objectof this invention is to provide means for arresting attentiona'nd .attracting it to advertisements or the like. To that end I`provide a sign board having display inattei thereon at different levelsand provide means whereby attractive objects are made to move alongadjacent such 'matter so that the public will be attracted to look atthe objects and bethus impelled to note the display matter.

Another object isto provide a sign board with novel moving 'lightsspecially adapted to attract the attention; and the device may be usedwith or without a gong rung interf' mittently to aid in attractingattention, and

maybe used as a danger signal. .j

An object 1s to provide? a novel, simple and attractive sign board torstores, oices,

amusements and other places.

it feature ofthe invention is the combination and arrangement in a 'signboard of a sloping runway, rolling devices as light-reflecting balls orspherical reflectors adapted to roll down such runway, and meansl toautomatically return such devices to thetop of the runway.

Another feat-ure is the arrangement Where by such devices cause anintermittent illumination of the sign. f Y' Y An object isrto provide apleasing intermittently illuminated sign that is distinctive-from andmore agreeable than the flashing lights heretofore known to me.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the'accompanying drawings, the subjoined detaileddescription and theappended claims. .j

Yi'he accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. s

Figure 1 isvafron-t view of a sign board constructed in accordance withthis inven-` tion; concealedfparts being indicated l'in broken lines.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation ofthe boardl as shown in Fig. 1; and withelectric motor in place, and a battery connected thereto; said batterybeing diagrammatically shown, and the return way and column of sphericalreflectors being shown inbreken lines.

Fig. Sis an enlarged fragmental section on line w3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4t is an'enlarged fragmental sectionl on line Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental' section on line x5, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental sectional front View of the board witha light runway provided'with lights that travel in ellipt-ical arcs inaddition to moving over the runways.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentalsection on line m7, Fig. 6. i

Fig. 8 is a view of the piston yoke in position tolift one of' thesignal lights. j

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View of the sign board installed at a railroadcrossing to give warning of approaching vcars or trains.

The sign board l comprises-a rframe 2 in which there is arranged ayplate for back ground 3 and has a runway` 4' for lightdiffusing-.bodies or other rolling objects thatv maybe sphericalreflectors 5 as shownin Figs. 1 5 or the electric globe appliance 6shown 1n Figs. 6-9. The objects may or-may not be transparent and arepreferably of a light reflecting character. v

The runway 4 has its upperand lower ends eoV 7,-'8 respectivelyconnectedto the upper f and vlower ends of an elevator Way 9, and

the runway vconsists of reversely inclined limbs connected Vbyrbends 10,so that refiectors 5` entering the runway at 7 will cross and i'ecross aplane Yof vision paralleling the plane of the plate 3 in a zig-zagcourse from top to bottom; and the lightf-romy the lamp tors; and onaccount of' a continual change of position relativeto the lamp 10 thebeams f.

of such light' reflected from' such reflectors ywill be correspondinglychanged in direction* and. thereby attractvattention-to the plate 3 onlthe face of which can be arranged, printed, written, or other'l matter,as forl instance words as shown at a in Fig. 1.

The reflectors 5 are pushed upward and out j. of Vthe pa-ssage) by meansotl a piston-11 that is connected by rod12, with'an eccentric pin 13 onthe spur Wheel 14 that is mounted on a spindle' 15 secured int-he frame2; land the wheel Mis `driven by apinion 16 that is connected by a wormdrive 17 withthe shaft 17 of' almotor 18A which can'be driven by anydesired means as from a source of electrical power such as the battery19 .that is con' nected to the motor by wiring 20,l 21 in'which lamp 10and a 'sic-n.23 that is adapted to engage the under side of reiiectors'vand lift them above a dog24 that is pivoted on a piny25 in a recess 2Gin the wall of the passage 9 and frame 2 so as to allow the reflectorsto pass up, and to prevent them' from returning.

ril`he tree end of the dog is normally held in the way 9 by a spring sothat when the piston is in its lowest position the' dog will support thereflectors above it until another reflector is forced upward by thepiston. f g

From the dog 24 upwards the passage 9 is filled `with reflectors so thateach ltime the piston iorcespne upward the top one in the' upr htpassage or way 9will be forced outward onto the runway 4 at 7 trom.whichl point itwill travel downward by gravity to again enter thepassages 9 at 8.

Freier-.ably about nine ot the reflectors 5 are kept outin the runwayA4'; although a greater or .less number may be used, -as desired. p

ln the appliance shown in Figs. G-9 cylindrical rollers 28 arelsubstituted for the reflectors 5 and these rollers carry the lampsv toeasily` overcome anyv` balancing" of' the lamps and cause the rollerstomore down the inclined runway; 4. y f

The rollers 28 and associated parts are adaptedl and 4arranged to beraised through the passage 9 substantially in like manneras are thereflectors except that ,the conn struction ot the passage-9 is; arrangedto conform to the coinliination ot rollers 28 and'y the parts connectedthereto; and also'. the

piston l1 sofconstructed that .its i''orlr arins will.I engage oppositeends of the 4rollers 2S as illustrated in F ig; 8 soas to lift themabove the dog 24; and in doingfso discharge the upper rollcr'i-n'totherunway 4 at 7.

As each roller 2S rolls down the runway` 4, the lamps 29,y 30 revolvedescribingcourses that attract the observer to determine the" unusuallight movement. l

rlChe lamps 29,301are in circuit with the battery 19 by the wires 20, 2lthat can be connected directly with contact strips 33, 34laid-inthebottorn of Ythe runway 4 as shown, in F 6 and T or connected thereto;.v

as diagrarnmatically illustrated in Fig. 9

in which the sign board is vassociated with a railroad crossing.

As illustratedl in Fig. 7, with parts in circuit, current will passthrough vwire to contact strip 33 then through'the lamps 29,

i fore not shown or describedin'detaillY through a wire 35 in the flberportion 36 of the roller 28 to the metal'- @hub '37j that rolls `on thecontact strip: 34, 'and'A back to baiiery over the wire 2l.

ilhen the sign board is used in connection with a railroad crossing asillustrated in 9* thewire 2O is provided with open switches 22, 22 thatare positioned on 0pposite. sides oi'fa railcrossing 88; and asufficient distance theref'ronr to give. timely warning tof personsV"cressing thef'tr'aclr V29; and these switches arey opened andclose'dby` trains passing over tlie"trac'k.` V"The 'meansl for openingandclosinggthese 'switchesaiel old and are well unclerstoodand?are there?Vl TlWhenV either of theswi'tch'esA a're thrown into circuit, `thergiotor 18y `will'loeifactuated intermittently to forc'e'therollers 28out'on# to the runway 4 where their lamps; 29;y 30' will be lighted 'toilluminate the tace ofthe plate 3; and-to tr'avelin'a course that-will'attract attention to' the markings printed or written on the plate." i iY gt desired also-agong 40 can be connected' in the circuit asvshown'i'n F ig. `'9 or directly o ierated by action ottheniotor l8as`illustrated--in Figs. 152,4 Y i As seen therein'the'back walls ofpassage 9 and trame are slotted` at' 4l, and wrist pin isextendedtherethroughand'connects"V thek piston il with the rod l2aridithis pin esl is extended through a slot'43 in theY end' of thestriker arm that is pivoted at "'in'` posi-tion for its' spring end 46'to. strike the gong 40 each time the piston ll descends to its lowestpositionf i I ln operation-theactuation of the piston ll on each upwardstroke, forces a spherical reflector out onto the upper vend of 'theArunway-into the rays of light thatare directed by a lamp onto VtheVboard'from1wli'ere it'and' others followingl descend in azig-zfagfeoufrse o the face of' thefboard to thelowerend;

vand by their inovement'andreii'ectedlight therefrom aswell as theaction ofthe gong,v

-will attract attention tothe matter on"thevl sign lxard.l

I claim LA; sign board comprising av plate adaptedv tohave printedmatterthereongfa runway across saidaplate; 'flight reflect-ing ballsoperable in said runway 5 inea'nstor p continuously movingthe'lightreflecting balls along i saidrunway; f and means` lfor'ill'uini-f nating. the inoyiiig-objectsto attractfattention tosaidboard. 'f 2. A sign= board comprisingV a plate adapted to haveprinted matter thereon; a runway on-saidl plateg'means :tor continuously and automatically passing balls over' said runway,` and means' forilluminating said balls as they pass over said runway.

3; A 'signf board comprising a plate adapted to have written orprintedvniatter".

fifi

thereon; a zig-zag runway in said plate;

flight reflecting balls onto said runway; and

means for directing light on the balls as the same pass over saidrunway, so` that the reflected light from said balls will attractattention to said board.

4. A sign board comprising a plate adapted to have written or printedmatter thereon; a downwardly inclined Zig-Za run-` way, said runwayhaving upper and ower ends; rolling reflectors operableon said runway;means for intermittently forcing said rolling reflector onto the upperend of said runway; means for directing light onto said reflectors asthey pass downward` over runway; and an elevator passage way' connectingthe lower with the upper end. of said runway. Y

5. A sign board comprising a frame; a plate in said frame; a runway insaid plate; saidY runway having upper and lower ends;

an 'elevator Apassage connecting the lower.

with the upper end of said runway; rolling reflectors operable on saidrunway;'means for intermittently forcing said rolling reflectors upwardthrough said passage and out on the upper end of said runway; andv meansfor illuminating said reflectors as they pass downward over said runway.

6. A sign board comprising a lframe; a plate in said frame; a Zig-zagdownwardly inclined runway in said plate said runway having upper andlower ends; a passage in said frame that connects the lower `withtheVupper end of said runway; spherical rellec- 7. A sign board comprising.a frame; a

plate in said frame; a Zig-Zag downwardly inclined run-way insaid platesaid runway having upper and lower ends; a passage in saidvk said framethat connects the lower with the upper end of said runway; sphericalreflectors in said passa-ge; a piston for intermittently forcing saidreflectors out onto the upper end of said runway; a. lamp forilluminating said reflectors as'they passv downward over said'runway;and a motor for actuating said piston. y

8. A sign board comprising a frame; a

lplate in said frame; a zig-zag vdownwardly inclined'l runway in saidplate said runway having upper and lower ends; a passage in said framethat connects the lower with the upper end of said runway; a column ofspherical reflectors in said passage; means for supporting thereflectorsin said passage so that tlie'topmost ball is adjacent to the upperend-of-said runway; a piston for inn termittently actuating said columnof reflectors to force the top one'jout onto the upper end of saidrunway at each upward thrust of said piston; a lamp for illuminatingsaid reflectors as theypassover said runway; and a motor for actuatingsaid piston.`

9'. A sign board comprisingv a vplate have ingV an inclined zig-zagrunway formed therein; spherical reflectingl elements adapted to run insaid runway; lighting means for illu* minating saidV reflecting elementsvduring downward movement in said runway; andV means to automaticallyand continuously move the reflecting elements from the lower to theupper end of the way.

10. A sign board comprising a plate provided with advertising matter; aninclined runway in saidplate adjacent the advertising matter; lightreflecting elements adapted to movev down the way; means toautomatically and continuously move said light reflecting elements fromthe lower'to the upper end of the way, and means for illuminating saidelements during their downward inove ment in the way.

In testimon'ywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California.7 this 2nd day of April, 1923. i

: JAMES H. NORTHROP.

